The present disclosure generally relates to antimicrobial skin sanitizing compositions including alcohols that are effective in killing microorganisms without damaging the user's skin. More particularly, the alcohol antimicrobial skin sanitizing compositions include cationic compounds for conditioning the skin and thickening systems that are compatible with the cationic compounds.
Hand washing is an essential component of infection control activities for consumers. Hand washing procedures are performed in several ways. Several procedures include an ordinary antimicrobial bar soap, a skin disinfecting alcohol based preparation agent, or alcohol instant hand sanitizer. Although alcohol and alcohol-containing compositions are known to possess bactericidal activity and to prevent nosocomial infections in hospital settings between patients, nurses and doctors, the compliance of using alcohol-based compositions is declining due to their inherent dehydrating and/or defatting properties, caused by the denaturing of proteins and removing of lipids from the skin. As such, continuous use of such products can leave the user's skin dry, often developing red, chapped and cracked skin.
To improve a user's skin, many companies have conventionally included humectants, emollients, and the like as additional components in their skin sanitizing alcohol-based compositions. While lending some protection, standard humectants and emollients are not long-lasting. As such, while providing minimal damage protection, the compositions break down and again begin to damage the user's skin, causing the user to discontinue use of the composition for sanitization.
One additional class of compounds that has been found to be highly effective at providing substantive and long lasting conditioning effects to the skin, are cationic compounds such as quaternary ammonium compounds. Furthermore, it has been found that quaternary ammonium compounds aid in the deposition of humectants onto the skin, which can further help moisturize the skin. While good at conditioning, however, these compounds are incompatible with conventionally used hydroalcoholic thickening systems such as those used in the alcohol-based compositions. Thickening systems are conventionally used to adjust the viscosity and/or stability of the compositions. For example, conventional thickeners for use in the alcohol-based compositions for modifying viscosity and stability include cellulose polymers (e.g., hydroxypropylcellulose) and polyacrylates (e.g., carbomers).
The present disclosure addresses these problems by providing alcohol antimicrobial skin sanitizing compositions including thickening systems that may be used in combination with cationic compounds, such as quaternary ammonium compounds. The alcohol antimicrobial skin sanitizing composition comprises a combination of an alcohol, thickeners and cationic compounds that together have efficacy against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, while preventing drying and cracking of the skin upon use.